Here's the analysis I was talking about:
http://translate.google.com/transla...&u=http://www.teichratgeber.de/ma_zeovit.html
The biggest problem I have, (I don't mind overpaying for a convienience product) I just don't like secrets. I want to know what I'm adding to my tank and be able to lay it out in chemical formula or be able to have a justified theory on how it works. I really really don't like when people post photoshopped pics of tanks to show how well something works. If I can't see the back wall and fish look unnatural, it makes me wonder if the tank looks bad and they had to or if its a really bad camera that can't process images correctly.
I'll post this but it is from another thread, I don't want to be rehashing this:
Here's a breakdown of SOME of the aluminum issue's brought up:
Randy's article:
Conclusions:
Aluminum is an ion that does not get much attention, and has no clear biological use in aquaria. It can, however, have an impact on aquarium organisms if elevated sufficiently over natural levels. Phosguard has been shown to release aluminum to artificial seawater. Further, it appears that the release of aluminum could be the cause of the effects that some folks have seen in aquaria when using aluminum-based phosphate and silicate absorbing materials. However, only a larger study could definitively demonstrate that to be the case.
Such biological effects have not been widely reported for the iron-based phosphate removers (e.g., Rowaphos and Salifertââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s Phosphate Killer). Consequently, if you are interested in using phosphate-absorbing media, those latter types might be a better choice.
Kallmeyer's article:
In rather old tanks with higher nutrient concentrations, the corals were well adapted to these conditions and the sudden drop caused massive die-off of colonies that had been growing well over decades. The corals starved and became susceptible to parasites and diseases. If the corals did not starve to death, the parasites killed them. It seems that tanks that have started with Zeolite filtration run very well and without major problems, while old established tanks are much more sensitive to it.
Sabrella's article doesn't say how much aluminum is in the starting sample, just that it has 39.8 mg at 5 days and 39.2 mg after 47 days. It would be interesting to see the Day 0 analysis and if a large amount is released immediately or does it stay the approximate same value. Most likely the initial 5 days has a higher release due to dust etc. even with rinsing just like carbon, phosban, etc. does when first installed.
Instant ocean has .006 ppm total aluminum per the S-15 report. Some studies with inferior equipment have posted as high as .1 ppm levels but as with any equipment, background noise is an issue thus better equipment=more accurate results. Randy Holmes Farley has tested his tank and he detected none. With his test equipment he could have picked up as low as .05 ppm and he even drips limewater for all his ca/alk needs and limewater has borderline high levels. The limewater probably accounts for the higher levels vs. the .006 in the fresh ASW. There are other studies which have shown the asw of IO has less than .008 ppm.
Now if zeovit releases .0142, that would 2.5X the aluminum content (assuming the .006 al study level) in 1 day. Using the higher level aluminum content test of .1, it would take roughly 6 days to do the same 2.5X. Over a year that could be a lot. Remember even 25% water changes with none present will build up very high levels over the course of a year. There are some interesting articles in the chemistry column about concentrations and water change amounts if you want to study on that.
I did a check with Randy to double check my numbers. I was a little shocked that there would be that much aluminum introduced and thought maybe I was having a TIA. Here's that thread:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/s...506#post6279506
It pretty much is what it is. Everyone has a free choice to choose what works best, right? Just be glad you don't have to deal with the heat and insane elecricity costs anymore
